Not an iceberg in sight as Mark Pressdee's Titanic Love cruises to victory at the Los Angeles Comedy Festival.

A SHORT Birmingham-made film about the Titanic has won a top international award.

Titanic Love was filmed in and around Birmingham city centre and the Jewellery Quarter by director Mark Pressdee, 43.

It was screened last week at the Los Angeles Comedy Festival.

On Saturday night, it was awarded the Best Screenplay Award in the Shorts Category.

The film is centred on one girl’s obsession with anything Titanic-related, including the Hollywood film.

She wants to relive the dream with a Titanic re-enactment cruise but her boyfriend cannot afford it.

So he fulfils her ambition by bringing the ‘Titanic’ to Birmingham’s canal network.

Titanic Love highlights the manufacturing and heritage links between Titanic and Birmingham and the Black Country.

Acme
Whistles from Birmingham and Avery Weigh Tronix from Smethwick supplied
original equipment for the film, having both supplied the Titanic before it sank on its maiden voyage in April, 1912.

Other props were sponsored by companies from as far afield as Belfast, Wales, Southampton, the USA and Scotland.

The University of Birmingham also supported the film.

Mark
said: “I wanted to celebrate our heritage and history whilst combining it within a story that touched the world. In the space of a week it has won the best short film award at the sixth annual Black International Film Festival at the ICC and now this one in LA.

“Although Screen WM originally turned my script down, I was determined to make the film regardless.

“I
am very proud that our Midlands history and heritage is being seen globally and hope I can now get more of my quirky/zany scripts off the ground.

“Just getting your film selected is a major achievement in itself so the award is priceless.

“It will validate my work and give me the chance to organise an industry screening in LA as I was unable to attend the festival.

“I can do this to pitch other projects now and put on an event of the back of this.”